Antecedentes

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, and rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP is supporting the Afghan people’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. UNDP is currently implementing its flagship crisis response programme, ABADEI (Area Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives), as part of the ongoing UN-led response to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and the breakdown of Afghanistan’s economy following the August 2021 shift in power.

To support UN joint programming in the provision of basic human needs, a Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (hereinafter referred as the Fund or STFA) was established on 20 October 2021.
The Fund will serve as an inter-agency mechanism to enable donors to channel their resources and coordinate their support to the ABADEI Strategy and the UN joint programmes developed under it. The Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan has a two-tier decision-making and coordination structure, through the High-level Advisory Board and Steering Committee. The Fund is administered by the UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office), acting as the Administrative Agent. The Trust Fund Management Unit (TFMU) is the Fund Secretariat for STFA and is the entity responsible for the operational functioning of the Fund and provides technical and management support to the Steering Committee.

The ABADEI Strategy represents one of the first large-scale attempts to operationalize a basic human needs approach within the complex and fast evolving context of Afghanistan. Conceptually, it provides an articulation of investments in essential services, livelihoods and community resilience that complement humanitarian efforts by helping households, communities, and the private sector cope with the adverse effects of the crisis. The ABADEI Strategy aims to promote more effective and joined-up responses by strengthening the collaboration, coherence, and complementarity of interventions with those covered through the Humanitarian Response Plan. It does this by providing support to the basic human needs of communities. It is anticipated that, as the conditions change, this support could evolve.

The Fund is administered by the UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office), acting as the Administrative Agent. The Trust Fund Management Unit (TFMU) is the Fund Secretariat for STFA & LOTFA and is the entity responsible for the operational functioning of the Fund and provides technical and management support to the Steering Committee.

The Position:

Under the direct supervision of the Trust Fund Finance Specialist, the financial management consultant will work closely with staff from the TFMU and will provide overall support to the Trust Fund Finance Specialist on the LOTFA (the Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan) projects financial closure and refund to donors.

The incumbent is expected to display initiative, a positive approach, and strong client orientation. As such, s/he might be required to undertake other emerging tasks and additional duties as required by the direct supervisor or senior management.

Deberes y responsabilidades

DURATION AND DELIVERABLES

The assignment is expected to start on 1 September 2022 and be completed by 31 December 2022. The table below outlines the number of working days allocated to the consultant to carry out the assignment. The estimated number of days to be invested is also provided to fulfill required tasks for the development of deliverables as defined and listed in the table below. The number of days presented as ‘estimated number of working days to be invested’ is indicative. The IC may invest less/more than the estimated number of working days and finalize the respective deliverable. The payment for each deliverable will be made based on the actual number of days invested for that deliverable; however, the overall number of days to be invested for all deliverables cannot exceed 60 working days throughout the contract validity. The deliverables expected from the IC are as follows:

No.

Activity

Deliverable

Estimated No. of Working/ Days to be Invested

Target Date for Submission

1.

  1. Support closure of LOTFA projects
  • Assist LOTFA project closure team on the LOTFA (Payroll and Security windows) project closing
  • Prepare LOTFA/STFA donor and other financial reports - standard and non-standard donor financial reporting (monthly/quarterly)
  • Collaborate with UNDP operation units on clearing outstanding PO payments of the LOTFA Projects
  • Assist in clearing cost sharing deficits, GMS reconciliation including yearend adjustments
  • Provide the required reports to the LOTFA strategic assessment
  • Analysis pending payments
  • Ensure payments are recorded under the respective donor and as per the donor agreement.
  • Regular communication with Financial Specialist and TFMU finance for timely decision-making.

Other tasks as requested by the Project Management Specialist and TFMU Manager.

  • Timely communicate any obstacle in process of project closure with TFMU Finance Specialist for timely/appropriate decision making.
  • Answer TFMU/LOTFA, other units, and donors’ queries regarding project closure.
  • Attending TFMU meeting on LOTFA projects closure

 

  1. Knowledge sharing and management
  • Document best practices and lessons learned on project closure to provide contributions to guide decision-making.

  

Deliverable-1 (40%)

  • Prepare and implement plan for the LOTFA projects closure
  • Provide technical support to ensure timely LOTFA projects closure team (50% project closed)
  • Provide support for coordination of projects closure activity with other relevant units
  • Report to TFMU finance specialist on the progress of LOTFA projects closure progress.

 

24 working days

31-October- 2022

2.

  1. Support refund to LOTFA projects donors;

 

  • Prepare the financial final reports to donors (EU, Japan etc.)
  • Prepare project and donor wise list of remaining donors funds with the LOTFA.
  • Support TFMU finance team on refunding to donors
  • Support to obtain appropriate documents required for donor refunding
  • Support to ensure there is no unrecorded expenditure left against particular donor.
  • Regularly consult with relevant operation unit (s) for donor refunding.
  • Timely respond to operation unit queries (if any) on donor refunding.
  • Other tasks as requested by the TFMU Manager or relevant project manager.
  • Answer TFMU/LOTFA , other units and donors queries regarding refunding to donors.

 

 

Deliverable-2 (40%)

  • Provide support to the Project Closure team on refunding to donors. (50% project closed) and refunds to all the donors is complete
  • Prepare final financial reports for all the LOTFA donors and projects
  • Analyse and prepare project wise list of donors to be refunding.
  • Prepare project wise timetable for donors refunding.
  • Timely follow up with TFMU finance team and other operation units on donors refunding schedule.
  • Report to TFMU finance specialist on refunding to LOTFA projects donors.

24 working days

30-Nov- 2022

3.

  • Based on need, support TFMU finance specialist on report extraction from system.
  • Support to respond to donor queries
  • Prepare LOTFA/STFA donor and other financial reports - standard and non-standard donor financial reporting (monthly/quarterly)
  • Assist LOTFA finance team in project financial closure
  • Assist in clearing cost sharing deficits, GMS reconciliation/ including yearend adjustments
  • Attending TFMU meeting on project closure and refunding to donors.
  • Provide support related to Purchase Orders closure of LOTFA projects.
  • Maintain an effective stakeholder engagement approach.
  • Other tasks as requested by the TFMU Manager/Finance Specialist

Deliverable-3 (20%)

  • Report to TFMU finance specialist overall progress on LOTFA project closure and refunding to relevant donors.

 

12 working days

31-December- 2022

Impact of Results

The key results directly impact the quality of TFMU services within the TFMU team and the Country Office

Competencias

Corporate Competencies:

•     Demonstrates commitment to UNDP's mission, vision, and values;

•     Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

  • Shares knowledge and experience.
  • Encourages office staff to share knowledge and contribute to UNDP Practice Areas;
  • Provides helpful feedback and advice to others in the unit;
  • Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

  • Ability to perform a broad range of specialized activities related to financial management, including monitoring of transactions and reporting.
  • Strong IT skills;
  • Demonstrated expertise in using ERP based financial management.
  • Experience working with diverse teams with different technical capacities in international development.
  • Finance Planning, Budgeting & Finance Reporting and Analysis.

Leadership and Self-Management

  • Focuses on result for the client
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
  • Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
  • Promotes ethics and integrity and creates organizational precedents.
  • Demonstrated openness to change and ability to manage complexities
  • Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Academic Qualifications:

  • Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, international affairs, international law, conflict prevention, political science, international development, or a similar field is required.

Experience:

  • With Master’s seven years or Bachelor’s ten years of experience in a related field.
  • Knowledge and understanding of financial management activities;
  • Previous experience of working in UNDP project closure is highly desirable;
  • Mandatory knowledge and experience in the usage of MS Office and Web-based accounting applications.
  • Proven track record of excellent interpersonal skills in a service provider environment

Language:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English, Dari and Pashto is a requirement.

Another requirement:

  • Must be a citizen of Afghanistan.

PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation. And financial proposal will ask from shortlisting candidates through email ,The consultant shall then submit a price proposal when requested by UNDP, in accordance with the below:

  • Daily Fee – The National Consultant shall propose an all-inclusive daily fee for the contract period. The term "all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees and communications costs only) that could be incurred by the consultant in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal.
  • The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is 60 working days.

UNDP reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered, or for failure to meet deadlines.

Evaluation Method and Criteria:

The National Consultant will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
  • Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight 70%

  • Education: 20 Marks
  • Relevant Experience: 30 Marks
  • Expertise in financial reporting: 10 Marks
  • Experience on the use of ERP: 10 Marks

* Financial Criteria weight 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation. And financial proposal will ask from shortlisting candidates through email.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

The National Consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

•   Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.